


This World Is Against You

by rptlotp



Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV), Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-12
Updated: 2017-10-12
Packaged: 2019-01-16 12:32:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12342783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rptlotp/pseuds/rptlotp
Summary: They always used to run together. Now Alex was running alone, away from the boy who used to run by his side.Dystopia AU





	This World Is Against You

_Run._

That was the only word on his mind.

_Run._

Alex kept running, trying to get as far away as possible from the boy he no longer recognized. It was as if the other had been hypnotized, his eyes blank and voice devoid of any feelings at all. But in this world that lacked emotion, Justin had become one with the masses. One with the enemy, Alex thought bitterly as he took a sharp left turn and ran through an opening in a fence. As the thunderous footsteps screeched to a halt behind him, he let out a long sigh before attempting to conceal his breath.

“I know you’re there somewhere, Standall,” came the voice. Alex’s breathing hitched.

Justin - _no, that’s not him_ \- the shell of Justin continued. “Just remember. You can’t hide forever. We will find you, and we will help you become who you are destined to be.” Alex listened with bated breath as the sounds of those unmistakeable footsteps turned and began fading away.

No longer in imminent danger, Alex allowed himself to relax and gather his thoughts. How had things gone so wrong so fast? He reflected on the days leading up to the present. Only the past week, Justin had suddenly come down with a cough. However, it hadn’t gotten better; it had increasingly gotten worse.

_“You can’t go to the hospital, Jus! You know that they’ll try to make you ‘pure’…”_

But somehow word of Justin’s illness got out, and the day after, three Purians took him to the hospital. Alex had seen what happened to people who got taken by the Purians. They all became emotionless and stoic. Their bodies were still living and breathing, but it was as if their souls had died.

A sudden electric current coursed through Alex, shocking him out of his trance and bringing him back to the present. He was on the wrong side of the fence. He dutifully moved to the correct side, feeling numb. Justin had truly changed. Part of Alex had hoped that Justin was strong enough to resist anything the Purians did, but after witnessing Justin chase him with no emotion in his eyes, he knew there was no hope left.

Alex’s legs carried him all the way back to his and Justin’s home. _My home._ The home that held so many fond memories of them together, but would no longer generate more.

_“I found an old song on a CD. It’s called ‘Run Boy Run.’ I think it describes us pretty well because we’re always running away from the government, authority, and really anything else except one another.”_

They always used to run together. Now Alex was running alone, away from the boy who used to run by his side. _How ironic._ He laughed, but it wasn’t funny. Tears welled up in his eyes as he choked back a sob and, for the first time in many years, let himself cry.

Alex awoke with a start, finding himself looking up with bleary eyes at the gray sky, the unchanging, perpetually depressing clouds that blocked any and all sunlight from reaching the ground. He rolled over, expecting to meet those warm green eyes that gave him light even on the dreariest of days. Instead, he was faced with a cold stone wall. Suddenly, memories of the previous day’s events came crashing back down on him like ocean waves. They were waves, and he was drowning in them. Fighting off the currents, he struggled for air as he desperately attempted to swim to the surface.

But each time his head broke the surface, another wave came and knocked him right back underwater again. For a moment, Alex felt like giving up. He wanted to let the waves consume him, devour him, and numb him. But he knew someone who wouldn’t want him to stop fighting so easily.

_“If something ever happens to one of us, and the other person is left alone, we can’t give up, okay? We are the future of humankind. They need us. Deal?”_

_“Deal.”_

With a sudden surge of energy, he realized that he couldn’t stop resisting. Not yet, at least. Not until justice was served. He couldn’t break the last promise he made to Justin. Compelled by thoughts of a flourishing future, Alex broke free from the torture within his own mind. He was determined to end everything once and for all.

Alex stopped just in front of the gate, peering upwards at the castle-like structure in front of him. It was the largest building in the area by far. _Oh, who am I kidding,_ Alex scoffed. _It’s probably the only building bigger than 100 square feet in the entire nation._ The castle exuded regality, its pure white flag waving in the air. The intercom buzzed suddenly, prompting Alex to look at it.

“Please state your name and purpose,” the female voice stated coolly.

“Um… Alex Standall. I want to see Bryce.”

There was a pause before the intercom responded. “You may enter.” The metal gates retracted into the surrounding walls, and Alex stepped through. He felt the atmosphere shift slightly, as if there were some disturbance in the air. He continued walking forward until the wall suddenly opened up in front of him. He was greeted with the sight of a man sat in a chair, with two Purians wearing special masks on either side of him. “How nice to finally see you again,” the man drawled. “Alex, right? It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Alex gritted his teeth at the mention of his name. “Fuck you.”

Bryce frowned playfully at the accusation. “Aw, why? What’d I ever do to push your buttons? It’s not like I stole your friend or anything… ”

“You did!” Alex stiffened. He knew that getting Justin back was not the purpose of his mission, but he was too overcome with anger to care. “Change him back! Whatever the hell you did to him, I want you to undo it!”

At Bryce’s flick of a hand, three of the four Purians surrounded Alex. He struggled against them, but to no avail as the Purians held his hands behind his back. “I don’t know who you’re talking about, Standall,” Bryce smirked. “Plus, whatever I did do to this friend of yours, I’m sure it can’t be undone that easily.”

“You know who I’m talking about, you idiot,” Alex bellowed, wrenching himself out of a Purian’s grasp, only to be restrained further. “Where’s Justin?”

Bryce’s smirk grew wider. “You mean this guy right here?” At his cue, the remaining Purian by Bryce’s side removed his mask, and suddenly, Alex was face to face with his former friend.

Alex immediately stopped struggling. “Justin,” he breathed.

“He doesn’t recognize you,” Bryce stated matter-of-factly. “And even if he did, the injection makes anybody emotionless. A perfect soldier. He won’t feel anything for you. But you already knew that, right, Standall? Experienced it firsthand, didn’t you?”

Getting angrier at Bryce’s every word, Alex felt his self-control slipping from his grasp. He knew that the man was purposely trying to wind him up, but with Justin right in front of him, he couldn’t think clearly. Alex knew for a fact that Bryce hadn’t had the injection. There was a sharp glint in his eyes that was too fierce for someone under influence to bear. _Shows just how evil this man is,_ Alex thought bitterly.

Bryce flicked his head towards Alex. “Restrain him,” he said to Justin. Justin immediately began walking towards Alex, much to his despair. As Justin handcuffed him, Alex wanted nothing more than to fight his way out, but a part of him still urged that he not hurt Justin, so he relented. Bryce walked up to Alex, and the latter bared his teeth in response. “You know, he put up a fight just like you.” Alex could hear the contempt in his voice. “How fitting for two lovers. And how tragic that you’re both going to suffer the same fate.”

“You sadist,” Alex hissed as he struggled against the restraints.

“Am I a sadist?” Bryce murmured amusedly. “Or just a great ruler?” Directing his attention to Justin, who held the syringe, he said, “Do it.”

Alex gazed, helpless, as Justin’s wavering hands fumbled with the syringe. Bile rose up in his mouth, and he squeezed his eyes shut until he heard something clatter onto the floor.

“Useless thing,” he heard Bryce murmur. “Can’t even do his job right.” Anger flared up inside Alex then, and he surged upwards, only to have the needle meet his skin. He felt a course of emotions run through him at that exact moment: fury, defiance, fear, and hysteria, until suddenly-

he

felt

nothing.


End file.
